Smoke and Mirrors

Reveal

Adrien

She looked at me in complete shock as she realized who I was. I couldn't help but chuckle a bit as it was all starting to make sense. The many disappearances that she made in high school, how she always knew the whereabouts of Ladybug or Marinette, the way she would act whenever there was danger present. She completely had me fooled but Marinette Dupain-Cheng being Ladybug is by far the most pleasant surprise I have had all day.

"A-Adrien?" Marinette stared at me in disbelief, she looked like she was on the verge of having a nervous breakdown.

"The one and only," I say with a small smirk. "Who knew that after all this time of me chasing you, giving you extravagant declarations of love, only to find out it is one of my best friends." I genuinely was happy to find out that she was Ladybug, because despite everything, I did have feelings for Marinette in some way. I wanted to tell her on prom night but then the fight with Luca broke out when he found out that Mari was sleeping in Alya's bed with me that night. "So how do you feel about all this?" I say, gesturing to my face and body.

I-I can't believe it," she finally gets out. "I knew your entire schedule, I was obsessed with you. I used to follow you around, so how the hell could I not figure this out?! I kissed you!" Marinette begins to turn a deep shade of red, before getting up and turning away from me in embarrassment. "I loved you and broke your heart simultaneously. How is that possible?!"

Marinette was starting to mumble to herself before Plagg made his presence known. "Yeah, yeah, yeah, humans are stupid. Can I see my sugar cube now?"

Tikki flies out to greet both Plagg and I. "Hello Adrien, it is nice to finally meet you properly now." Tikki said sweetly, then looked at Plagg with a very big frown. "As for you, Plagg, you owe me big time."

"What?" Plagg laughed nervously. "What are you talking about Sugar Cube? Are you talking about that bet that we made a couple years back?"

"Precisely, that bet Stinky," Tikki said with an evil grin on her face. "It's time to pay the piper."

Marinette turns back around to see her kwami and my own start to bicker with one another while she looked like she was still struggling with this new revelation. I walk over to her with the intention to talk things out and hopefully comfort her, only to be interrupted by Plagg screaming for mercy. Tikki was now pulling on his whiskers. The scene was so funny to watch that it made the tension and awkwardness ease up a bit, making both of us laugh. "Alright you two calm down. We actually have a lot to talk about, starting with the fact that I know who Hawkmoth and Mayura are."

Marinette looks at me shocked, "Seriously Kitty? I don't think I can take any more surprises tonight. I mean honestly, what's next? Are you going to say that your father is Hawkmo-" She turned to look at Plagg who was signaling for her to stop talking. Marinette then looks at me and notices the suitcase behind me. "What the absolute FUUUU-"

"Ah ah ah ah, Watch your mouth young lady. You know that type of language isn't appropriate," Plagg interrupts jokingly. "But honestly, that is probably only a third of the bad news. His assistant Nathalie is Mayura and is in love with Hawkmoth"

Marinette looked like she was about to faint so I decided to grab her hand to steady her, only for her to pull her hand away in embarrassment. Then she took a moment to compose herself and turned towards me, "What is the last part of the bad news?" She asks nervously, and I look away trying to curb the fury that threatened to rise up.

"My father started all of this to bring my mother back to life, not caring as to who gets in the way or who he hurts in the process. That, and Mayura knows who I am as well." Marinette's face scrunched up while she was trying to process all of this. She always did look cute when she had her serious face, especially as Ladybug, she always looked so irresistible. Trying to pull myself out from my thoughts, I turn around to gather up my things. "Also I don't have a place to stay since I was in such a hurry to leave. I tried to grab as much as I could before I left. Staying there, knowing what I know now isn't safe for me anymore."